Sydney woman felt ‘like a slave’ during Chinese film star’s alleged rape

A Sydney woman said she felt like a sex slave when a Chinese film star and his producer allegedly raped her during a degrading ordeal at the Shangri-La Hotel last year.

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A Sydney woman says she felt like a sex “slave” when a Chinese movie star and his producer took turns raping her in a luxury hotel, a court heard.

Actor Yunxiang Gao and Jing Wang deny sexually assaulting the crew member at the Shangri-La Hotel last year, insisting the complainant consented to a threesome after a TV series wrap party.

Wang’s lawyer said her client and the alleged victim were “passionately” and “sensually” kissing outside the hotel before he asked her up to his room for a drink in the early hours of March 27, 2018.

“It’s not right. I wasn’t willingly doing that, he was forcing me to do that,” the alleged victim told a Downing Centre District Court jury.

Actor Yunxiang Gao outside the Downing Centre courts in Sydney. Picture: John Grainger

The court heard that hours after her alleged attack the woman told police she’d felt trapped while Wang kissed her outside the hotel, fearing “he would hurt me if I tried to leave.”

But on Wednesday the woman said she’d been confused while giving her first police statement and only felt her safety was at risk upstairs in Wang’s room - when she was allegedly subjected to a traumatising and degrading ordeal.

“I was like a slave,” she said.

Defence barrister Margaret Cunneen SC challenged this comment, suggesting the woman took part in the sexual encounter “completely willingly.”

But the alleged victim doubled down, adding that she’d repeatedly pleaded: “no don’t do this, don’t touch me.”

“But they didn’t stop,” the woman said.

Yunxiang Gao with his girlfriend and lawyer outside the Downing Centre court. Picture: John Grainger

Phone records show that around 2.30am as the woman and Wang hopped into the hotel elevator, her phone dialled Wang’s number twice.

Ms Cunneen said this was their effort to find Wang’s phone so he could call and invite Gao, who was seen on CCTV footage walking towards Wang’s room moments later.

“If you were somehow being prevailed upon to got to his room against your will you could have called your husband, the police, triple-zero, couldn’t you?” Ms Cunneen asked.

“He was holding my wrist. I don’t know how those two calls were made,” the woman replied.

Actor Yunxiang Gao outside the Downing Centre courts in Sydney. Picture: John Grainger

The alleged victim rejected claims she’d been flirting with Wang over WeChat messages during the production and also told him her husband and daughter were away the night of the work party.

“You and he flirted with each other through that time in an increasing way,” Ms Cunneen said. “I don’t agree,” the woman replied.

Gao has pleaded not guilty to seven charges including aggravated sexual assault in company where the victim was deprived of liberty, while Wang is defending 11 charges including sexual intercourse without consent.

The trial of the 37-year-olds continues before Judge Penelope Hock.

Originally published as Sydney woman felt ‘like a slave’ during Chinese film star’s alleged rape